Car-coupling.



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CAB CUPLING. (Application fild May 2B, 1902.)

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NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL LEONARD TRUEBLOOD, OF KENOVA, WEST VIRGINIA, lASASIGNOR OF THREE-EIGHTHS TO GEORGE MCDONALD AND JOHN T. INGRAM, OF

PARKERSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettere Patent No. 717,475, dated December eo, 1902.

l Application filed May 20, 1902Iv Serial No. 108.241. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL LEONARD TRUE- BLOOD, a citizen of the United States, resid ing at Kenova, in the county of Wayne and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The object ofthe present invention is to improve the construction of car-couplings of the Janney type and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one of great strength and durability,capable of automatically coupling when two cars come together and adapted to be set for uncoupling, to obviate the necessity of a person going between cars to uncouple them or of holding the locking-pin in an elevated position topermit` cars to uncouple.` A

Furthermore, the invention has for its object to provide a car-coupling having means for enabling the knuckle to be opened from the side or top of a car or the platform of a coach, to arrange the car-coupling for automatic coupling, and to avoid going between cars to open the knuckle.

The invention consistsin the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointedV out in theclaiins hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a car-coupling constructed in Fig. 2 is a I accordance with this invention. horizontal sectional view o f the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view ofthe lockingpin. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the knuckle. Fig. 5 is a detail view` illustrating another construction for actuating the knuckle to open the same.

. Like numerals of reference designate correspondin g parts in allthefigures of the drawings.

l designates a draw-head designed to be provided with a shank or` draw-bar of the ordinary construction and to be secured to a car, locomotive, or the like in any desired manner, and the said draw-head is provided at one side with suitable eyes for the recepbe of any desired length to secure the necessary guiding action.

The knuckle-pin 2 pivots a knuckle 4e to the draw-head, and the latter is provided with an approximately U-shaped arm 5, composed of two sides or portions arranged at an angle to each other. One side or portion of the arm extends rearward or inward from the eye of the knuckle and the other side or arm is disposed approximately transversely of the draw-head and is arranged in a transverse opening or passage 6, which extends from the center of the draw-head through the side at which the knuckle is pivoted. The transversely-disposed portion of the arm 5 of the knuckle is slightly curved, as shown, and when the knuckle is closed, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the draw-head, it fits against the front wall of the transverse openings 6, and as the arm of the knuckle is arranged between the solid side portion 7 of the drawhead and a vertically-movable locking-pin 8, it will be apparent that it cannot become detached from the drawhead should the knuckle-pin 2 break, and that by this arrangement the said knuckle-pin is relieved ofstrain and is prevented from breaking.

The vertically movable locking pin is mounted in a suitable opening of the `drawhead, and it is provided at its upper end with a suitable enlargement or head 9, having an eye or opening adapted to be connected with suitable mechanism for enabling the lockingpin to be raised from the top or side of a car or the platform of a coach without going between cars. The lower portion 10 of the locking-pinis recessed or cut away and is provided with a curved face, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, to permit the arm of the'knuckle to swing outward when the locking-pin is raised sufficiently to carry an upper engaging portion or shoulder 1l out of engagement with the arm of the knuckle. The engaging portion or shouldeigwhich abuts against the outel side of the rearwardly-extending portion of the arm of the knuckle when the latter is closed, may be of any desired size and area to secure the necessary strength, and when the locking-pin is raised it is supported in such elevated position by a pivoted supporting device 12 to maintain the upper shoulder or engaging portion l1 out of engagement with the arm of the knuckle to permit the latter to open freely and allow coupled cars to separate'. The supporting device, which is secured to the locking-pin by a suitable fastening device 13, has its upper end perforated for the reception of the same, and it is arranged within a recess 14, which forms a vertical shoulder or stop to limit the outward swing of the supporting device 12. When the knuckle is closed, the pivoted supporting device is arranged in a horizontal position upon the arm of the knuckle, as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings, whereby when the locking-pin is raised the pivoted supporting device will automatically swing outward to a vertical position'and rest upon the arm of the knuckle, and thereby hold the lockingpin in its elevated position. The knuckle is then adapted to be opened, and when it closes the inward movement of the arm will automatically swing the pivoted supporting device inward and permit the locking-pin to fall and carry its shoulder or engaging portion into engagement with the arm of the knuckle. In practice the vertically-movable locking-pin will be connected with an arm of a transverse rock-shaft, which 'will be provided at the side of the car with an arm or handle, and in uncoupling cars it will only be necessary for the operator to partially rotate the shaft, and this may be quickly done by a person walking along one side of the train without going between the cars. The locking-pin may be supported in such elevated position while the cars are together, and it may be left in such position to permit Ithe cars to be separated at any future time.

The transversely-disposed portion of the arm of the knuckle is provided With an inclined lower face 15, and the vertically-movable locking-pin is provided at its lower portion with means for engaging the inclined face 15, whereby the locking-pin is adapted to kick the knuckle open to arrange it for automatic coupling or to start the knuckle to facilitate the operation of uncoupling. The means for engaging the inclined face 15 of the arm of the knuckle may be constructed in a variety of ways; but it preferably consists of a roller 1o', located normally a sufficient distance below the arm of the knuckle to permit the locking-pin to be raised and set for uncoupling Without carrying the antifriction-roller 16 into engagement With the inclined face 15. 1n other words, the lock- When the locking-pin is raised to the limit of its movement, the antifriction-roller is carried into engagement with the inclined face 15 of the arm of the knuckle and the latter is open; but it is not necessary to lift the locking-piu to this extent to simply set it for automatic uncoupling. This is a decided advantage, as the two operations may be effected either simultaneously or separately. The a'ntifriction-roller 16 is mounted on a suitable pivot or spindle 17 of a plate 18, which is secured to the lower portion of the locking-pin in a suitable groove or recess 19 thereof; but it may be mounted ou the locking-pin in any other suitable manner, and the antifriction-roller can be dispensed With and a fixed projected portion be provided for actuating the knuckle. It will be necessary when such a construction is employed to keep the parts thoroughly lubricated in order to secure the best results; but an antifrictionroller will be found preferable. The inclined face 15 may be flat, or a rounded inclined face 20, as illustrated in Fig. 5, may be employed, and a correspondingly-grooved antifriction roller or Wheel 21 may be employed, or the rounded inclined face may be arranged to operate in connection With an antifrictionroller 16,as shown in Fig.3. The transverselydisposed portion or side of the arm of the knuckle is provided at its end with a projecting lug 22, forminga shoulder for engaging the lower portion of the locking-pin to limit the opening movement of the knuckle and prevent the arm of the knuckle from being swung outward beyond the pivoted supporting device.

It will be seen that the car-coupling is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it posesses great strength and durability, and that the knuckle-pin is relieved of strain and the knuckle effectually prevented from leaving the draw-head should the knuckle-pin become broken. It Will also be clear that the car-coupling is capable of coupling automatically when two cars come together, and that it may be readily operated to effect the operation of uncoupling without going between cars. 1t will also be apparent that the knuckle may be opened from the side of the car, and that numerous accidents resulting from attempts to open the knuckle while a car is in motion or to maintain an ordinary locking-pin in an elevated position under such conditions will be effectually prevented. Furthermore, the car-coupling will be found of the greatest advantage in-handling cars in yards while making up trains or distributing cars, and that in all such operations it will obviate the necessity of a trainhand exposing himself to danger While manipulating the car-coupling.

What l claim is- 1. The combination with a coupling-head, and a knuckle pivotally supported therein, the said knuckle having the rearwardly-projecting tail having an inclined lower edge, of a vertically-movable locking-block, and a IOO IIO

vroller mounted in said locking-block below the tail of the knuckle and adapted to engage the said lower inclined edge of the tail of the latter, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination with a draw-head, and knuckle pivoted therein and provided with a tail having an inclined lower edge, of a vertically-movable block for locking the knuckle in its closed position, a roller mounted in the lower portion of said block and engaging the inclined lower edge of the kn uckle-tail, means for suspending the locking-block in an unlocked position and for retaining it so suspended until released by the knuckle-tail in the outward opening movement of the latter, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a pivoted knuckle, a locking-pin, and a supporting device pivoted to the locking-pin and arranged in a horizontal position upon the arm of the knuckle when the latter is closed and adapted to swing to an npright position when the locking-pin is raised, said locking-pin being provided with means for limiting the outward swing of the supporting device, and the latter being arranged to be swung inward to the said horizontal position by the inward movement ot' the arm of the knuckle, substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a pivoted knuckle, a locking-pin tion, and having an upper shoulder or engaging portion adapted to abut against the.

arm of the knuckle, said locking-pin being` also provided at the shoulder or engaging porltion with a recess 14, forming a stop-shoulder, and a supporting `device pivoted at its upper end in the recess 14 and arranged in a horizontal position upon the arm of the knuckle when the latter is closed and adapted to swing to an upright position when the locking-pin is raised, said supporting device having its out-ward movement limited by the shoulder of the recess 14, and arranged to be swung inward to the said horizontal position by the inward movement of the arm of the knuckle, substantially as described.

5. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a knuckle provided with an arm having an inclined face, and a locking-pin provided with an antifriction-roller arranged to engage the inclined face to open the knuckle, substantially as described.

6. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a pivoted knuckle provided with an arm having an inclined lower face, a locking-pin, a pivoted supporting device mounted on the upper portion of the locking-pin and arranged to rest upon the arm of the knuckle, and an antifriction roller or wheel mounted on the lower portion of the locking-pin and ar'- ranged to engage the inclined face of the arm of the knuckle, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL LEONARD TRUEBLOOD.

Witnesses:

J. Ross CoLHoUN, J. H. JOCHUM, Jr. 

